Applicator for pressurized package



Nm r- 24, 19 I J. E. AYRES 2,913,749

APPLICATOR FOR PRESSURIZED PACKAGE Filed March 19, 1958 INVENTOR (/Oll/V flY/PES ATTORNEYS United states P atent Q" APPLICATOR FOR PRESSURIZED PACKAGE John E. Ayres, Mountainside, NJ., assignor of one-half to John M. Wittke, Westfield, NJ.

Application March 19, 1958, Serial No. 722,427

11 Claims. (Cl. 15-139) The present invention relates to an applicator for use in conjunction with a pressurized package. More particularly, it relates to a self sealing applicator for dispensing commodities of a cream-like consistency from a pressurized package.

;An object of the present invention is to provide an applicator for dispensing commodities having a creamy consistency, such as a cream deodorant or the like, from a pressurized package. Another object of the invention is to provide an applicator for such use which is selfsealing to protect a portion of the commodity which is discharged from the container but not used, from deterioration due to exposure to the air when the package is not being used.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent and best understood from the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a vertical section view of a portion of a pressurized package employing an applicator embodying the present invention;

Fig.'2 is a fragmentary view in section of a part of the applicator shown in Fig. 1;. Fig. 3 is a section view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

"Fig. 4 is a section view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. l; t

2,913,749 Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ice A valve-operating member or plunger 19 extends downwardly from the center of the domed portion of the base and through the discharge outlet in the top of the container into engagement with the valve member. The valve-operating member, which is hollow and has a passageway 20 extending therethrough, makes a snug fit with flanges surrounding the discharge outlet and has transverse slots 21 in its lower end which engages with the valve member. Thus, the valve-member may be depressed to open the discharge outlet by downward movement of the base and the valve operating member and under such conditions, the contents of the container which are under pressure, will fiow through the slots in the end of the valve operating member and into'the passageway therein. a

The passageway in the valve operating member has an enlarged bore at its upper end which opens on top of the dome-shaped portion of the base and a self-sealing closure member 22 is mounted in said enlarged bore. The closure member 22 which may be molded from a soft or flexiblematerial, such as polyethylene, has a stem 23 which makes atight fit with the sides of the enlarged bore in the valve-operating member so as to hold the closure member in place at all times. The interior of the stem may be hollow so that it can be more readily compressed to fit the passageway in the valve-operating member. Interengaging members in the form of a rib 24 and a recess 25 may also be formed on opposing surfaces of the stem and the passageway to hold the closure member in place. i V

The head 26 of the closure member is circular in shape and has a flexible portion 27 which extends be- .yond the sides ofthe passageway in the valve-operating member. The head of the closure member is seated in a slight depression in the top 'of the base and the lower surface of the flexible portion terminates in a flat annular outer edge 27a of thin section which resiliently Fig. 5 isa vertical section view illustrating'a modification in a part of the applicator shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a section view taken along the line 6+6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there is an applicato'r 10 mounted on top of acontainer 11 which contains a supply of a commodity to be discharged under pressure.

The portions of the container illustrated are of conventional construction and hence, need not be described in detail here. Briefly, the top 12 of the container has a valve-controlled discharge outlet 13 therein with an annular recess or depression 14 surrounding the discharge outlet. A valve member 15 of flexible material normally engages with a flange 16 surrounding the discharge outlet and closes the outlet to prevent discharge of the contents of the container.

A container suitable for dispensing commodities having a cream-like consistency is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 722,429, filed March 19, 1958, for Pressurized Package, and reference may be made thereto for further details.

The applicator 10 includes a dome-shaped base 17 which is preferably molded from rigid or semi-rigid material, such as linear polyethylene. The base is mounted in the annular depression in the top of the container and is vertically movable relative to the top of the container in operation of the valve member. Spaced lugs 18 which extend outwardly from the sides of the base, serve as guides in such movement of the base and also engages with the bottom of the depression in the top ofthe container to form a seal therewith. To insure that 'a seal is formed between the outer edge of the closure member and the base, the closure member may be molded so that the outer edge thereof will engage with the. topof the base and move upwardly slightly when the closure member is inserted therein.

tainer.

. Passageways 28 in the form of slots are-molded in the outer surface of the stem of the closure member and extend throughout the length of the stem. The slots in the stem communicate at their lower ends with the passageway in the valve-operating member and at their upper ends with radially extending slots 29 in the bottom. of the head of the closure member. The radially extending slots extend to a point adjacent the seal formed between the outer edge of .the head and the base and form passageways to distribute the commodity being dispensed thereto.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stem 23 of the closure member may have flattened surfaces 28a formed on opposite sides thereof which will function in the same manner as the passageways formed by the slots. The lower surface of the head may also be recessed as indicated at 29a and the recess will function in the same manner as the radial slots.

. :In operation, pressure may be applied to the top of the applicator through the closure member to depress the applicator and thus, open the valve in the container. The commodity in the container will then flow through the valve and into the passageway in the valve-operating member. From the passageway in the valve operating member, the'commodity being dispensed will then flow through the slots in the stem of the closure member and the radial slots in the lower surface of the head of the closure member to theouter edge of the closure membefi The pressure exerted on the commodity will cause the resilient portion of the closure member to flex upwardly and thus, permit a desired amount of the commodity to escape from between the outer edges of the closure member and the base. In both forms, the lower end of the closure member engages with a shoulder at the bottom of the enlarged bore in the passageway in the valve operating member to prevent downward movement of the closure member relative to the base when they are assembled.

The dispensing operation may be carried out by merely pressing the applicator against a surface to which the commodity is to be applied and the amount of the commodity discharged can be regulated as desired by" the pressure exerted. When pressure on the applicator is released, the valve member automatically returns -to its closed position and at the same time, returns the applicator to its initial position.

When this happens, a certain amount of the commodity being dispensed remains in the passageways in the applicator and if left unprotected, it might harden or otherwise deteriorate by contact with the air. However, upon closure of the container valve, the pressure no longer acts on the commodity in these passageways and thus, the outer edge of the headed end of the closure member is permitted to return to sealing engagement with the base of the applicator. In this way, a fresh supply of the commodity is assured upon each operation of the applicator.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiments of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by" the following claims.

I claim:

1. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container having a valve-controlled discharge outlet therein which comprises a base, said base having a top and a bottom and having a discharge passageway formed therein, said passageway extending from the bottom to the top of the base, a self-sealing closure member carried by the base, said closure member including a stem seated in the discharge passageway in the base, and an annular head portion of a resilient material extending beyond the sides of the discharge passageway at the top of the base, said annular head portion having an outer edge resiliently engaging with a surface portion of the base surrounding the discharge passageway and normally forming a seal therewith, and means for conducting a commodity from the discharge passageway in the base to the outer edge of the annular portion of the closure member.

2. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container as defined in claim 1 which includes a valve-operating plunger extending downwardly from the bottom of the base, said plunger being centrally located and containing a passageway communicating with the discharge passageway in the base.

a 3. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container as defined in claim 1 wherein the base is made of material of greater rigidity than the closure member.

. v 4. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container havinga valve-controlled discharge outlet therein which comprises a base, said base having a top and a bottom and having a discharge passageway formed therein, said passageway extending from the bottom to the top of the base and having a shoulder formed therein and a self-sealing closure member carried by the base, said closure member including a stem extending into and engaging with the shoulder in the discharge passageway in the base and an annular head portion of a resilient material extending beyond the sides of the discharge passageway at'the top a: the base, said annular head portion having an outer edge resiliently engaging with a surface portion of the base surrounding the discharge passageway and normally forming a seal therewith, said stem and head portion having passageways formed therein, said passageways extending between the discharge passageway in the base and the outer edge of the annular head portion of the closure member.

5. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized package which comprises a base adapted to be movably mounted on a pres= surized container, a valve-operating member carried by the base and extending downwardly therefrom, said valveoperating member being hollow and defining a discharge passageway extending through the base, said passageway having an inlet and an outlet, a self-sealing closure member carried by the base and normally closing the outlet of said passageway, said closure member including a stem seated in the discharge passageway and a flexible portion of resilient material extending beyond the sides of the discharge passageway, said flexible portion having an outer edge resiliently engaging and forming an air-tight seal with a surface of the base surrounding the discharge passageway, and-means for conducting a commodity from the discharge passageway to the outer edges of the flexible portion of the closure member.

6. An applicator for dispensing commodities of cream like consistency from a pressurized container asv defined in claim 5 wherein the means for conducting the commodity from the discharge passageway to the outer edges of the flexible portion of the closure member comprises passageways defined by opposing surfaces of the base and the closure member.

7. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized package which comprises a base, a valve-operating member carried by the base, said valve-operating member being hollow and defining a discharge passageway extending through the base, said passageway having an inlet and an outlet, a self-sealing closure member carried by the base and normally closing the outlet of said passageway, said closure member having a stem seated in the passageway in the valve-operating member and a head having a flexible portion of resilient material extending beyond the sides of said passageway, said flexible portion having a flat surface at its outer edge resiliently engaging and forming a seal with a surface of the base surrounding said passageway, and means for conducting a commodity from the discharge passageway to the flat surface at the outer edge of the flexible portion of the head of the closure member.

8. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container as defined in claim 7 which includes interengaging means on the stem and the sides of the passageway in the valveoperating member for securing the closure member to the base.

9. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container as defined in claim 7 wherein the means for conducting the cornmodity from the discharge passageway to the flat surface at the outer edge of the closure member comprise passageways defined by opposing surfaces of the base and the closure member.

10. An applicator for dispensing commodities of creamlike consistency from a pressurized container which comprises a base having a top and downwardly extending side walls, a valve-operating member carried by the base and extending downwardly from the top thereof, said valve operating member being hollow and defining a discharge passageway extending through the base, said passageway having an inlet and an outlet, a closure member carried by the base and normally closing the outlet of the discharge passageway, said closure member including a stem seated in the discharge passageway and'a head portion of'resilient material extending beyond the sides of the discharge passageway, said head portion having an of greater rigidity than the closure member and which 10 2,696,934

includes interengaging means formed on the stem of the closure member and the sides of the discharge passageway in the base for securing the closure member to the base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS De Swart May 9, 1950 Ashton Dec. 14, 1954 

